2003 – 2004 “Lend a Hand”
President: John Evans
Sec: John Brown Treas: Graeme Scott
IPP & VP: Colin Puls SAA: Robert Mackley President Elect: David Peck
Directors: Community–Bernie Hetherington Youth –Sue Williams; Vocational–Graeme Cox
Special Projects – Franz Tursi Fellowship – Neville Thomas International – Gerry Smith 12th unfilled
District Governor: Bob Furner (Mt Gambier West) RI President: Jonathon B Majiyagbe (Nigeria)
Our year got off to a sad beginning with the passing of Roy Geyer, PHF, a great Rotarian and a gentleman. His smiling face and a glass of red is still a pleasant memory.
Rotary House, our 75th Anniversary project in conjunction with Horsham East Club, certainly caught the public’s imagination, with many Wimmera people and communities contributing along with the larger philanthropic trusts. The slab was poured in September and the frame erected in October. With the addition of the roof and bricking, work may now continue despite bad weather. Donations now total over $250,000 with another $100,000 given “in kind.”
Programmes were most varied, ranging from Motor Cycling Turkey to the latest mobile phones IT, diabetes, Aboriginal heritage to Tribal Youth. Topics covered the troubles in Timor Este to Phil Lohrey’s fights with coaxial cables. A trip to the Army barracks sought recruits for “Dad’s Army”, and John Mibus’ ‘Natimuk and Horsham’ identities – wow. We visited the Casuarina Kinder and saw the Gym Kids. Marie Foley’s photos on Horsham floods reminded of wetter times. Talks by our own members again proved the talent within our club.
Proving their points splendidly, we witnessed the final of the Senior Debating teams from the Secondary College. The Topic? “Old People Have More Fun.” They’ll find out for themselves later in life!
RYLA awardee Matt Burns confirmed that the future will be in good hands, as with our exchange student to Switzerland, Eleanor Marshall, while visiting Jesper Christiansen proved a worthy representative of his country with his talks and yarns. The Hugh Jenkin Photographic Awards highlighted regional youth art expression while the Max Taylor Music concert showcased the musical talent in our town. Our RYPEN awardees Ebony Cramer and Michael Schneider impressed. We have an outgoing student only in the next twelve months, Ethel Oliver to Canada.
Inter-Club relations are currently at a high, with East’s Art Show a regular meeting each year. Combined meetings with nearby Clubs should be fostered more in future, such as with the Bowls night and visits to our Group Clubs.
Fellowship never fails to produce the ‘goods’ when the chips are down, and catered for several meetings at our Clubrooms – our drinks bar has purchased many items for the clubrooms not otherwise provided for with the profits it makes.
The ladies continue to bring new dynamics to our Club with innovations, and the ‘Gown of the Year’ proved a winner with a profit of $5,000.
Our 75th Anniversary Dinner was celebrated at the Sportsman’s Club with over 150 in attendance. Ballart Rotary Club, our sponsor Club, presented a Gold Mug. Past GSE team members and Exchange Students spoke of their trips away, while ‘Ci-Ci the Clown’ and ‘Max the Great’ provided alternate entertainment. Pictorial booklets, courtesy of Brian Murray, featured old Club photographs and our Paul Harris fellows. A written history of our 75 years was also produced for the occasion.
Christmas saw Rotary right in the public eye, with trees and puddings. The trees raised $3,400 and the puddings/cakes another $3000. Our Christmas dinner this year saw gifts of toys being donated to the children of Yandilla Ward over the holidays. An appeal in conjunction with ABC Radio saw many toys donated and distributed to needy district children by Wimmera Uniting Care. Members circulated at the Carols by Candlelight night taking up the collection.
Our Club helped at the Horsham Australia Day BBQ at the Soundshell and fed the Youth Exchange people at a weekend at Halls Gap.
ARHRF was given local prominence with a public forum on Mental Health. Rotary Foundation was again represented during the year, with several presentations being given.
Horsham Show was a washout, with the few dollars made donated back to the Society, but we compensated with the Field Days gates in March and the Motor Cross in May.
International Committee gave us first a Danish night, and a later “Sir’ Jack Knight with Crayfish was outstanding. India featured with a Polio-Plus night (Loloma Puls and Geoff Leak) and our January GSE team member Murray Wilson.
Changeover night saw a successful hand over of positions to David Peck and his team of Directors. Paul Harris Fellow recognitions were made top PP Tom Harmsworth and Dr Eric Miller for their outstanding services to the community. jhg
2004-2005
“Celebrate Rotary – 100 Years”
Executive: President: David Peck
Sec: Robert Queale Treas: Loloma Puls
IPP & VP: John Evans President Elect: Don Carter
Directors: Vocational – Glen Savage International – John Brown Special Projects – Robert Mackley Youth – Alan Hutchinson Community – Graeme Schmidt Fellowship- Kevin Smith; Programmes – John KoningsPresident Elect – Graham Gerlach
District Governor: Cathy Roth (Geelong Central) RI Pres: Glen Estress (Shades Valley-Alabama)
On induction President David was welcomed with the ‘Woodpeckers Song’. The District Centennial Bell was handed into our short care until District Changeover and Miss Robyn Hall was presented with her ‘Shine On’ Rising Star award.
During the year Jack dare was honoured with Paul Harris recognition. At the Changeover Dinner Werner Grossenbacher and Oliver Williams were similarly honoured. Several more members became Centurian sustaining members.
Within the span of nineteen days, the Club lost two of its most esteemed members, both Past Presidents and PHF’s – Frank Treacey and Ned Carter. Together they served as active members in the Club for 72 years. Both had been inducted on the same night, 19th April, 1968. Ladies filled several classifications in our ranks and brought welcome new philosophies and methods to the Club.
First event in the Rotary calendar was the Roy Geyer Memorial Golf Day. Many of Roy’s family attended and Paul Geyer. A grandson, won the men’s trophy while Janice Evans collected the Ladies trophy. The Team trophy was ‘stolen’ by the Konings/Curran/Dawson combination. Our bowling members were also catered for during the summer.
President David emphasis was on youth this year, Constable Laurie Thomas outlined a new Police Dept initiative. RYLA representatives Kirsty Davies, Sharee Schuller and Nathan McDonald spoke of their Week of Leadership training and Mark Block attended the RYPEN weekend. The Club received several letters from Risiki Fred, the Tanzanian youth we are sponsoring. The Hugh Jenkin Photographic contest again saw many entries from all across the Wimmera. Ethel Oliver has gone to Spring Lake Club in District 6290. Patrick van Dyk will represent us in Germany in the next exchange. Aware of this Club’s policy on youth, member Bernie Hetherington produced a potential new member – the first in the club’s female member history. Members participated in mentoring at the Secondary College (Year 4) and Tom Christie spoke on his experience in Canberra at the National Youth Science Forum. Members again organised the Halls Gap Exchange Student weekend.
We again sponsored the Junior Debating Final – “That Debating is Pointless”, the affirmative team (of boys) won the night. The very next Friday saw the Max Taylor Musicality Award Concert at Wesley PA Centre and was won for the second year by pianist Matthew Binion. Horsham can be proud of its youth.
From youth to maturity – our Senior Citizens Dinner again honoured the older generation. Scottish laddie ‘wee’ Tommy Dawson found new wind and regaled all present on the pipes. International Dinner saw meals and guests from the African continent. A first for the year was the participation in the Foundation Matching Grants program, supporting water projects in Nigeria with other Clubs and Districts.
The Horsham Show was held mainly in sunshine and resulted in a profit in a gate profit of $2065. The Field Days gate keeping, with friends, gained $2100. Our future Christmas trees had several working bees planting the crop and their sale this year raised $3084, while the ‘Dick Wilson’ puddings and cakes made a profit of $1150. Fishing Comp. Drinks raised $1363, the Vintage Vehicle Swap Meet another $2187, while our involvement in the Campervan/Motor-home rally raised $2023 and the Motor-Cross another $2100.
Rotary House building ticked along smoothly, if slowly, and will finally be opened at the end of the year.. The two Horsham Rotary Clubs combined involvement augers well for the future and Rotary House will be a reminder and an asset to the entire Wimmera community for many years to come.
Robyn Nitschke – Horsham East’s GSE Team member to the UK spoke on her trip – minus her Power Point presentation. Camilla Violi – our GSE member, wowed the locals with her presentation and received the highest of accolades from her peers in Mexico. She will speak to us later in the year.
A membership drive in our Clubrooms attempted to bring new faces – time will tell. However, the white custard/sauce may have proved fatal to our aspirations. Further nights saw the Red Rooster rule the roost – are we losing our catering experience? New State laws for such events involve a risk assessment on each occurrence, new food handling procedural standards, etc. Personal confidentiality in reporting news is another worry.
We discovered where Armenia is – courtesy Warracknabeal regular Tony Gregson while Graeme Cox explained the Australian Defences Role in today’s world. We entertained Rotarians from India who had hosted Loloma Puls and Geoff Leak during their recent Polio Plus trip, and Murray Wilson spoke of his GSE trip to India. A Canadian paramedic explained the intricacies of the Mica Ambulance Service. Other diverse subjects included Organ Donation, Water Fluoridation; Softball, Caravans and Diabetes. However, the most interesting talks were by our own members – what vast stores of knowledge and experiences our members have to share. Andrew Almond gave a brilliant talk on World War 1 on the Western Front. Some lucky members toured the Ararat Wind Farm.
New member Kaye Lehmann led the Job/Life talks, and at a later meeting welcomed the Club to a Vocational Meeting at Centrelink. She was ably followed later in the year by Brian Breuer, Michael Ward, Loloma Puls and Don Carter. Robert Irvine – of the Ballarat University – Horsham Campus told us of the push to try and overcome severe shortages of tradesmen and apprentices. Hindmarsh Mayor Darryl Argall spoke on the role of Local Government.
The Great Debate caused the greatest stir among members for many a year – the vote of 42 – 22 retaining Friday night meetings surprised a few who expected a much closer vote. The proposed takeover of Horsham East club caused some consternation. Members were advised of their Rotary meeting obligations regarding AWL’s and apologies.
The Centenary of Rotary International was celebrated at the Horsham Golf Club, with Rotarians from all Group Three Clubs - Horsham, Horsham East, Dimboola and Hopetoun. Visitors included the DG and other District guests, in total 180 attended. At a later meeting 100 trees were planted at the Wool factory to celebrate the Centenary of Rotary International.
In RI< April is Magazine Month. In this Club it is Roster Month – first three weeks saw the exchange student meeting at Halls Gap, the WMHVS Swap Meet catering, Motor Cross gate-keeping and the security at the Campervan/Motor home Rally for a whole week. It is a god thing that we belong to a young (at heart) club. The PETS weekend sandwiched in between and saw an influx of 2005-06 Club executive from around the District – all were most impressed by their inspection of the soon-to-be completed Rotary House.
Members served the elderly with two stints of our best known Community Project in Horsham – Meals on Wheels. 2004-2005 was indeed a busy year – our 77th and RI’s 100th.
130 Rotarians and guests attended the Changeover Dinner, with the induction of Don Carter as President under the theme “Service Above Self”. Don’s theme song? - “The Ballad of Don Carter. jhg
2005-2006“Service Above Self”
Executive: President – Don Carter
Sec– Kaye Lehmann Treas- Loloma Puls
President Elect – Graham Gerlach Immediate Past President – David Peck
Directors: Vocational – Brian Breuer; International – Noel Curran; Fellowship – Colin Puls; Special Projects – Phil Lohrey; Youth – Sue Williams; Community Service – Michael Ward; Programmes – Bill Williams President Elect Nominee – Graeme Scott
“Fertiliser-Fertiliser” – An Ode to Don. A catchy little ditty especially written for Induction Night. His theme for the year? “Communication; Communication; Communication”. Don inducted a new member on his first night in the chair. DG Wayne Barrett made his official visit early in the year and found us to be ‘in good shape’ for the coming year – in fact, we had already completed a third of our commitments, one week of Meals on wheels. It was duly noted that Director Ward wore his tie on 2 of the first three weeks and bought his mother-in-law as a guest, these must be worth several brownie points. Would he keep up this charade? Of course not – only lasted 2 weeks.
Fifty years as a member saw Tom Dawson humbled by the occasion, we celebrated with his family and a visit by the DG. It is not often that Tom is ‘almost’ speechless and he didn’t even ‘blow his own bags’. ( the pipes) Languishing way behind on 40 years service are Gil le Plastrier and Jim Heard.